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The online flipbook version of Banking Today is available for HKIB Members, and the Cover Story is now open for public reading.
Read Cover Story here and full journal via Members' Login.
For Non-Members, please continue reading by joining HKIB Membership or subscribing to Banking Today.
ASEAN-Hong Kong Free Trade Agreement: Strengthening Economic Ties
Built on a long history of trade and economic co-operation, the newly-signed ASEAN-Hong Kong Free Trade Agreement and (investment agreement) promises to strengthen economic ties between Hong Kong and ASEAN member states. Hong Kong’s banking and finance sector will have unprecedented access to ASEAN member states and entire markets of potential new clients will become available. These agreements not only consolidate the role of Hong Kong as a super-connector to promote regional trade and investment linkages, but also gives Hong Kong the privileged position to further boost integrated economic development in the region, by providing valued legal and financial services.
Opportunities for Banking Sector as Mainland China’s Financial Market Opens up
The Governor of the People’s Bank of China, Mr Yi Gang, announced at the Boao Forum for Asia that Mainland China would implement twelve liberalisation measures in a bid to further open up its financial markets. Mainland China has been very affirmative and confident in doing this by lowering its financial market entry thresholds. These recent pledges to advance with the long-promised liberalisation of financial markets are opportunities that should be seized by banks.
Virtual banking in Hong Kong and Mainland China
On 30th May 2018, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) published its consultation conclusions on the revised Guideline on the Authorization of Virtual Banks, which set out the principles they will consider when authorising virtual banks to conduct business in Hong Kong. The announcement ties in with the HKMA’s goal of bringing the city into a new era of smart banking, as part of a package of initiatives that aim to establish Hong Kong as a ‘world- class smart city’. As one of the oldest banking centres in the world and Asia’s prospective ‘smart city’, Hong Kong stands well-positioned to be a pioneer in this field.
Setting the Industry Standards in Retail Wealth Management
As the banking and finance industry continues to undergo fast-paced and radical transformations it is more important than ever to ensure Hong Kong’s banking professionals are highly competent. Hong Kong must develop a skilled talent pool that is able to meet the changing demands of the banking and financial services sector. With this in mind, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and The Hong Kong institute of Bankers (HKIB) aim to set the industry standards through the Enhanced Competency Framework on Retail Wealth Management (ECF on RWM). The key objective of this programme is to promote and maintain the high standards of professional competence expected of retail wealth management professionals in Hong Kong.
The Impact of the General Data Protection Regulation in Hong Kong
Effective on 25th May 2018, the EU’s new privacy legislation, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will impact many businesses in Hong Kong. One of the most important aspects of the GDPR means that any bank in operating in Hong Kong that processes EU data will be required to comply with the legislation or face the risk of heavy financial penalties. GDPR will affect the local banking sector in a number of ways and many organisations will need to reassess their data storage practices. This is especially relevant given the exponential rise in the use of FinTech and the large number of overseas banks that operate within the city.
Talk Around Town
Sharing Economy in Hong Kong
The sharing economy has gained huge popularity over the last few years and has seen services such as bike-sharing and ride-hailing become an integral part of everyday life in countries across the globe. Hong Kong, however, has been accused of ‘closing the door’ and failing to provide an adequate legislative environment for these typically innovative companies to thrive. There are a number of initiatives and improvements that could be made to embrace these companies in the city and truly unlock the potential of the sharing economy. By establishing a functional legislative framework and providing industry benchmarks to improve consumer trust, Hong Kong can be the leader in collaborative consumption in Asia.


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To help marketers and publishers get a better handle on in-image ads, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) on Thursday issued a primer on the format, including a definition, disclosure principles and case studies. Much of the content is drawn from companies providing in-image ad solutions, including GumGum, Google-backed Luminate, Speed Shift Media, Stipple and Vibrant Media.
The document is an outgrowth of the native advertising playbook the IAB introduced in December, which defined six basic native ad categories and providing guidelines for their use. The new primer places in-image ads within the “custom/can’t be contained” category, “though as they grow they may be considered as a separate native ad type,” it states.
The guide points out that in-image ads come in different forms, from display ads or product listings inserted into images or video or rich media ad units that appear only when a user hovers over the picture or clicks on the ad. And because the ads appear inline with content someone is viewing, the paper says the ads have been shown to drive higher viewability than traditional display units.
“We know we’re in a visual world, we know we’re in a streamed content world, we know that for getting people’s attention in that content stream, the most effective form is visual, and because of that it is certainly a ripe place for an ad product,” said Peter Minnium, head of brand initiatives at the IAB. That said, he notes the ads have to be relevant, brand-safe and provide proper disclosure. “And if not done properly, it could trip up development of this format.”
To that end, service providers delivering in-image ads at scale rely on technologies intended to programmatically determine the meaning of images and dynamically match them to the most contextually relevant ads. Targeting options can also extend to geographic and audience-based criteria.
When it comes to disclosure, the IAB recommends following the same guidelines set out in the native advertising playbook. It must use languages or imagery that the ad has been paid for and is prominent enough for a user to notice it in the context of a given page. That still leaves a lot of room for advertisers to decide exactly how to indicate a paid ad.
Of the four examples shown in the primer, only one appears to be clearly labeled as an ad. But since they look like typical banner ads anyway over images, users may not be as apt to confuse them with regular content as some other types of native advertising, like certain in-feed ad units. They also allow users to close the unit by clicking in the right corner.
One ad, for example, that ran on NYDailyNews.com and other news sites, features a rich media unit with a button to play a video spot for Cat’s Pride Fresh & Light cat food. Another featured a carousel ad for a Garnier skin care product slapped on a photo of “beautiful women.”
In terms of results, the IAB says in-image ad campaign are delivering brand lift for awareness an average rise of 37% -- almost three times the industry average, according to Nielsen Online Brand Effect norms. Still, that begs the question of why they haven’t become more ubiquitous. The standard on more visually-focused properties like Instagram, Pinterest and Tumblr has been for marketers to supply their own brand images to better blend with a user's activity stream.
Jared Belsky, president of 360i, said the digital agency is only “lightly exploring” the use of in-image ads. The challenges for the format include achieving scale -- since not all publishers will accept it -- higher cost, and building awareness among consumers.
“These new formats are being hurried to market to drive the next generation of display advertising, in hopes of expanding ad formats beyond the click,” said Belsky. Since in-image ads are being positioned as native units, he added that it’s especially important that publishers and brands ensure the user experience is relevant and appropriately balanced.
Minnium said the guide for in-image ads is the first in a series of primers focusing on other native ad formats. “The reason we’re been very aggressive with native advertising is that we want to help these new forms establish a market at the highest common denominator,” he said.

domain: news


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DSG Global (OTCQB: DSGT) and Imperium Motor Company today announced a partnership agreement with Ignition Brandery. The first of several agreements following the successful appearance at the LA Auto Show, the partnership is significant for all parties as Ignition Brandery has contacts all over the islands, including with cruise lines, dealerships and government agencies. According to the update, Ignition Brandery sees a massive opportunity for the Imperium brand of electric vehicles. Transporting tourists across the Caribbean islands is vital to generating revenue in these markets, and many of the islands are offering credits to import green vehicles. Each of the 25 target islands has five to seven auto dealerships, with the company anticipating opening a dealer on each island over the next 12-24 months. Cruise lines own significant real estate in the islands and transporting passengers via buses and passenger vans is crucial to the overall experience while the ability to promote a green initiative will allow significant cost savings. In addition, there are significant revenue opportunities with DSG Global’s golf division with more than 120 golf courses in the Caribbean. “It is starting to happen,” said Robert Silzer, CEO of DSG Global. “All the excitement and action at the LA Auto Show is now coming together. Our entire EV line up was a hit at the show with numerous sales commitments with several major distribution agreements throughout the world to follow. The Shelby Cobra Golf Cart was the most photographed EV on the floor with the company now in process of introducing two new Shelby Carts that will displayed at the PGA Show in January. This is the first EV show attended in the USA with great success and DSG is looking forward to a record-breaking revenue year in 2022.”
To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/KGNT4
About DSG Global Inc.
DSG Global is an emerging global technology company with an array of interconnecting businesses in some of the fastest growing market sectors. With roots in the golf industry in which it specializes in fleet management with patented analytics, mobile touch screen engagement and electric golf carts under the Vantage Tag Systems (“VTS”) brand, the company is moving quickly with road-ready electric vehicles for sale in the first quarter of 2022 through its Imperium Motor Company subsidiary. For more information, visit www.Vantage-Tag.com and www.ImperiumMotorCompany.com.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to DSGT are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/DSGT
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Despite the manifold difficulties of running a business in drought-riddled Riverina, two Griffith businesses have proven they are still at the top of their game.
Bella Vita Riverina Tours and AQUNA Sustainable Murray Cod have come away from the 2019 Murray-Riverina Business Chamber Awards with more wins to add to their growing collections.
Bella Vita Riverina Tours took the Excellence in Micro Business, and owner Cassandra Cadorin was proud they were thriving in what was a difficult time for all business.
"I am super excited that Bella Vita has progressed, as this is the second year we are state finalists," Ms Cadorin said.
Even through tough times, they continue to demonstrate dedication to customer service, quality and continuous improvement.Andrew Cottrill
"It goes to show the quality of different experiences that are available here - it's not just a tourist trade which is what we initially set out for, but a lot of it is industries looking and investing in coming down to Griffith."
AQUNA Sustainable Murray Cod nabbed the Excellence in Sustainability award, with Chairman Ross Anderson saying they are extremely proud to be representing their region at the upcoming state awards.
"We are extremely proud. There are many high quality, innovative companies in the Griffith-Riverina region and we are proud to represent them in the state awards."
Hitting the world stage in a major way, their Murray-Cod has had the chance to feature in food fairs in Tokyo, Hong Kong as well as of course Australia, where they are currently at the Fine Food Fair in Sydney.
Mr Anderson said many professional chefs are starting to call it the "Wagyu of fish" due to the flesh's creaminess and high fat content.
The NSW Business Chamber's event was held earlier in the month at the Temora Aviation Museum, and saw over 180 people from 30 different local businesses to celebrate and showcase their success.
Regional Manager for the NSW Business Chamber Andrew Cottrill said the awards showcased the very best of our regional businesses - their innovation and commitment to excellence.
"It is wonderful to celebrate the truly remarkable world class business operations we have in our region," Mr Cottrill said.
"Even through tough times, they continue to demonstrate dedication to customer service, quality and continuous improvement."
These winners will progress as state finalists in the NSW Business Chamber's State Business Awards, to be held in Sydney on Friday 22 November at the International Convention Centre.
While you're with us, did you know that you can now receive updates straight to your inbox every Monday at 6am from The Area News? To make sure you're up to date with all the Griffith and MIA news you can sign up here.


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Nalco, an Ecolab company, has been awarded a patent for its APEX™ paint detackification technology, an effective and sustainable detack chemistry made from renewable resources. It represents a significant step forward in high-performing, sustainable solutions for the automotive industry.
Nalco researchers utilized natural, non-VOC materials to achieve the industry’s desire for effective and sustainable paint detackification for auto assembly and auto fascia wet spray booths. APEX delivers excellent system performance and operational efficiency while reducing water use, waste and overall cost of operations.
“This patent further highlights Nalco’s commitment to the auto industry,” said Eric Ouderkirk, director of Marketing for Nalco’s Global Manufacturing business. “We are dedicated to delivering innovative solutions that help automakers meet their performance, operational and sustainability goals.”
Currently used in more than 100 auto assembly plants worldwide, APEX detackification chemistry is one component of Nalco’s total paint booth solution, which includes world-class service and other innovative chemistries, such as Ultimer™ flocculant technology that was awarded the U.S. Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award. Using APEX technology, assembly plants can expect superior results and reductions in water, waste and chemical use.
For additional information, click here.
Nalco is an Ecolab company. A trusted partner at more than one million customer locations, Ecolab (NYSE: ECL) is the global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services that protect people and vital resources. With 2013 sales of $13 billion and 45,000 associates, Ecolab delivers comprehensive solutions and on-site service to promote safe food, maintain clean environments, optimize water and energy use and improve operational efficiencies for customers in the food, healthcare, energy, hospitality and industrial markets in more than 170 countries around the world.
For more news and information, visit ecolab.com. Follow us on Twitter @ecolab or Facebook at facebook.com/ecolab.
Alejandro González d’Hyver de las Deses
Communications Manager, Latin America
Phone: +52 (55) 5001 2935 or by email
Communications Manager, Brasil
Phone: +55 11 2134 2649 or by email
Communications Director, Latin America
Phone: +1 954 436 2668 or by email


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February 27, 2012
Single session game tickets for the Final Five will go on sale March 5
SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Xcel Energy Center and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) announced today that single session game tickets for the 2012 Red Baron™ WCHA Final Five, to be held Thursday – Saturday, March 15 – 17, will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Monday, March 5.
Six teams from the twelve team Western Collegiate Hockey Association will advance to the 2012 Red Baron™ WCHA Final Five, battling it out over five games for the Broadmoor Trophy and entrance to the NCAA Tournament. Click here for a complete tournament schedule.
Tickets can be purchased at the Xcel Energy Center Box Office, Ticketmaster Ticket Centers, charge by phone at 800-745-3000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com. To charge by phone using Ticketmaster TDD/TTY, call 800-359-2525. Groups (10+) call 651-312-3486.
Prices for single session game tickets are as follows:
DATE TICKET PRICES GAME
Thursday, March 15 (2 p.m.) $25 / $20 Quarterfinal 1
Thursday, March 15 (7 p.m.) $30 / $20 Quarterfinal 2
Friday, March 16 (2 p.m.) $40 / $20 Semi-final 1
Friday, March 16 (7 p.m.) $45 / $20 Semi-final 2
Saturday, March 17 (7 p.m.) $45 / $20 Championship
A limited number of all tournament packages are still available.
College hockey fans still have an opportunity to get in on the tournament action with the Pick Your Final Five Sweepstakes. Fans that enter before midnight on Friday, March 2 will have a chance to win a prize of four (4) ticket packages to the 2013 Red Baron™ WCHA Final Five and a one (1) year's supply of Red Baron™ frozen Feasts for One Personal pizzas.
The WCHA will again host the Microsoft Store WCHA Fan Fest on Friday, March 16 and Saturday, March 17 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Iron Range Grill near Gate 4 of Xcel Energy Center. Hockey fans can celebrate with live music, interactive games, food and beverages and more. Cheerleaders, mascots and WCHA pep bands will rock the house with the school songs that lead their teams to victory. Live music by Uncle Chunk on Friday and Playback on Saturday. The Microsoft Store WCHA Fan Fest is free and open to the public!


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MINSK, 8 October (BelTA) – Belarus and Italy plan to considerably boost mutual trade and implement joint projects in energy and resource-saving, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Italy to Belarus Mario Giorgio Stefano Baldi said as he spoke at the Italy-Belarus Forum on Green Economy on 8 October, BelTA has learned.
“In 2018, the trade between our countries totaled €700 million. We expect to reach €800 million this year and €1 billion in 2020. Today's forum, which has gathered 35 Italian and over 150 Belarusian companies, is an important step in cooperation. I hope that participants will conclude profitable contracts,” said Mario Giorgio Stefano Baldi.
According to him, Belarus and Italy are not rich in natural resources, gas and oil deposits. That is why the two countries need to produce their own energy, using the capabilities of the sun, wind and waste processing. Italy is ready to share its experience and technologies.
Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vladimir Ulakhovich said that the parties need to restore the previous level of trade and economic relations, as well as to balance the supply. “We need to look for niches, advance our products to the EU market. I believe that there is every chance to return to the mutual trade of $2 billion which the two countries used to have,” he stressed.
According to Vladimir Ulakhovich, Belarus might be of interest to Italian investors due to its developed infrastructure, highly qualified personnel, stable doing-business conditions, and the possibility to promote products in the EAEU market.
Belarus' Deputy Prime Minister Igor Petrishenko stressed that the countries are interested in strengthening cooperation. In 2018, mutual trade went up by 15% compared to 2017, and it is necessary to gather pace. Over the past two years, more than 60 new enterprises with Italian capital have been set up in Belarus. Belarusian metal products, potash fertilizers, synthetic fibers, furniture and its parts, tanned leather, wood, and linen fabrics are in demand on the Italian market. Belarus mainly exports high-tech products from Italy.
“The governments of the two countries are seeking to improve the mechanisms for promoting business initiatives. The countries have established channels for systemic interaction and also a bilateral intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation. Current issues are addressed quickly and effectively. Belarus is open to large-scale and multifaceted cooperation with Italy in all areas. Any proposals aimed at strengthening bilateral relations, development of business projects will not be left without attention,” Igor Petrishenko said.
The Italy-Belarus Forum on Green Economy is held by the Italian embassy in Belarus, the agency for the promotion abroad and internationalization of Italian companies (ICE), the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Confindustria Belarus. Participants of the meeting are discussing prospects for expanding bilateral trade and economic cooperation in green economy and other areas, with a focus on the use of Italian investments, opportunities for Belarusian companies to tap into Italian advanced achievements in industry, and the use of renewable energy sources. The focus is also on the development of smart cities, the introduction of energy-efficient technologies in civil and industrial construction, and agriculture.More about Economy


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Foxconn ties up with Robo 3D to produce 3D printers, says report
Steve Shen, DIGITIMES, Taipei
Foxconn Electronics has signed a cooperation agreement with Robo 3D, under which Foxconn will produce the Robo R2 3D printers for Robo 3D, according to a Chinese-language TechNews report.
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What Hawaii parents wouldn’t be shocked and upset to find mold growing inside their infant’s teething toy? This is exactly what happened to a mother in another state, who also happens to be a pediatric dentist. She now believes defective products remain on the market that could pose serious health risks to children and their families.
The mother had given her daughter a Sophie Giraffe toy, which is imported to the United States from France. She said she was always especially careful to follow package instructions regarding cleaning the toy. Those instructions stated never to submerge the toy in water.
One day, when the mother was cleaning her daughter’s teething giraffe toy, she noticed an odd smell and decided to cut open the toy to look inside. She said she was aghast to see the inside of her child’s toy full of mold! Other parents have apparently had similar concerns with the same toy as negative customer reviews warning of such issues were posted online.
Defective products cause thousands of injuries and illnesses to children in Hawaii and throughout the nation every year. Any parent currently concerned with a particular issue may contact a personal injury attorney in the area to discuss the situation. It is possible to seek monetary judgment against any and all parties identified as potentially liable when a product promoted and sold for use by children results in bodily injury or health-related harm. A first logical step to take in the process is to retain the help of an experienced attorney.


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Battery adds Schireson as EIR
PE HUB--Battery Ventures announced today that it has hired Max Schireson, the former CEO of open-source database company MongoDB, as an executive-in-residence.
The SaaS Success Database
TechCrunch--What does it take to build a billion-dollar SaaS enterprise-software company? We gave a 30,000-foot answer to this complex — and fascinating — question in a recent TechCrunch post, The SaaS Adventure.
How big data is transforming real estate
CNBC--Assessing a storm's damage to a house; responding to a prospective buyer's concerns about a property; designing offices that suit the needs of its tenants—all are key tasks of the real estate business that are rapidly being made faster and less expensive as the industry adopts lessons from technology, lessons that have already dramatically changed industries such as finance and health care.
Israel’s Nice Systems sells video surveillance unit for $100 mln
Reuters--Israeli software provider Nice Systems is selling its video surveillance technologies unit to private equity firm Battery Ventures for up to $100 million, its second divestment in three months as it focuses more on its analytics business.
‘Container’ Software Is at Center of DockerCon
The Wall Street Journal--The hottest technology in Silicon Valley isn’t from Uber Technologies Inc. or Instagram. It is from a startup called Docker Inc. that is charming the coders behind the world’s websites and apps.
Tech Investors Need to Pick Their Spots Amid Rising Valuations
The Wall Street Journal-- As technology deal valuations continue to rise, private equity investors must pick their targets carefully and seek to be useful agents of change for the businesses they back to avoid shocks when the market turns.
Battery’s Roger Lee Talks HP Split on CNBC
CNBC Squawk Alley--Shares of Hewlett-Packard topped analyst estimates, saying it expects lower expenses after the split. Roger Lee, Battery Ventures partner, thinks a split makes sense for the company's operations.
Meet the 2015 CNBC Disruptor 50 companies
CNBC--In the third annual Disruptor 50 list, CNBC features private companies in 16 industries—from aerospace to financial services to cybersecurity to retail—whose innovations are revolutionizing the business landscape. These forward-thinking upstarts have identified unexploited niches in the marketplace that have the potential to become billion-dollar businesses, and they rushed to fill them.
How Amazon Swooped in to Own Cloud Services
Bloomberg--In 2004, Sun Microsystems revealed a radical plan to shake up the computing industry. It would build a series of large data centers and sell access to the computers inside them for $1 per hour.


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Apple issues surprise iPhone update promising mysterious 'bug fixes'
Apple released a surprise update for iPhone users, promising bug fixes without providing specific details about the fixes.
iOS 17.2.1 Update
Apple issued a surprise update for all iPhone users Tuesday promising to fix a plethora of bugs. What exactly those fixes are, however, remains a mystery.
The tech company released iOS 17.2.1 just one week after rolling out iOS 17.2, which contained a horde of innovative features, including the new Journal app, and upgraded security measures. It also comes just days after Apple unveiled beta versions of iOS 17.3, leaving many users confused as to why another minor update would be squeezed in before the widespread release of the update.
Tech experts pointed out that while the English-language release contains no details on the bug fixes, both the Japanese and Chinese versions promise to address “an issue where the battery may drain quickly under certain conditions.”
Battery Drainage Issues
Rapid battery drainage appeared to be a widespread issue for users after updating their iPhones to the previous iOS update, with many owners taking to X to air their grievances.
The iOS 17.2.1 update offered no details beyond promises to make “important bug fixes.”
“The battery life with iOS 17.2 on iPhone 15 Pro Max is terrible. Barely getting 5-6 hours SOT. Earlier I was getting around 8-9 hours!” technology content creator Sharon Bava wrote.
Speculations and Possible Reasons
Apple did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment. Although Apple recommends the newest update for all of its users, the update does not appear to be urgent.
It was not released as a Rapid Security Response, which could indicate that it does not address security issues.
The tech company could have issued iOS 17.2.1 just in time for the holidays so new users could update their devices before they become distracted by the holiday season, or so that new devices will be at the ready for gift giving.
iPhones have recently fallen victim to spyware attacks, prompting Apple to beef up its security features.
The company released Stolen Device Protection last week on the iOS 17.3 developer beta which prevents thieves from accessing smartphones with pilfered passwords.


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Sundeep Malhotra, who stepped down as CEO of Homeshop 18 yesterday, has launched a new interior design and home design platform called Renomania. Malhotra confirmed the development to MediaNama but declined to give further details. The venture's other co-founders are Atrash Aman, former chief operating officer of Homeshop 18 where he was responsible for setting up the company's vendor and sourcing platform, Ritu Malhotra and Navneet Malhotra, both directors at A.A. Design Consultants. A.A. Design Consultants is an architectural and design consultancy firm which has handled a number of projects which includes schools, hospitals, hotels and other residential projects. A who.is search showed that Renomania was registered in December 2014 by Ritu Malhotra and was last updated on August 7, 2015. Renomania will allow users to build the kind of homes or interiors by browsing through photos and build a scrapbook. It…
- PrivacyNama Session: Chief Privacy Officer Roundtable; October 7 October 1, 2022
- Delhi police deploys drones to monitor anti-CAA protest centre Shaheen Bagh October 1, 2022
- India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) orders ISPs to Block 67 Porn Websites October 1, 2022
- AI Law and Policy Diploma Course (CCG-NLUD) 2022 #Ad October 1, 2022
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MediaNama’s mission is to help build a digital ecosystem which is open, fair, global and competitive.
The Structure and Style of a Dogma Community: Conspiracy theories and organized Twitter engagement on Sushant Singh Rajput
Studying the 'community' supporting the late Sushant Singh Rajput (SSR) shows how Twitter was gamed through organized engagement
Do we have an enabling system for the National Data Governance Framework Policy (NDGFP) aiming to create a repository of non-personal data?
A viewpoint on why the regulation of cryptocurrencies and crypto exchnages under 2019's E-Commerce Rules puts it in a 'grey area'
India's IT Rules mandate a GAC to address user 'grievances' , but is re-instatement of content removed by a platform a power it should...
Why ‘group privacy’ should be recognised, and how ‘non-personal’ data becomes a regulatory blindspot
There is a need for reconceptualizing personal, non-personal data and the concept of privacy itself for regulators to effectively protect data
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Welcome Mat: Construction on new Belle Isle garden to start in June
Ethan Allen hosts dog adoption event
Talk about the perfect combo: Dogs and decor. The Ethan Allen Design Center in Sterling Heights will combine both with its Dogs & Decor Adoption Event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 15. Organized with the Chihuahua Rescue & Transport, Ethan Allen customers will also have the chance to meet chihuahuas and other small breeds that have been rescued and are available for adoption. There will also be refreshments, giveaways and pet-friendly fabrics. Ethan Allen is at 13725 Lakeside Circle in Sterling Heights. Call (586)566-9999 to RSVP or with questions.
Detroit event pairs suffrage, shopping
Brigid Beaubien wears two hats -- as the owner of the hip home decor and lifestyle shop Urbanum in Detroit and as a professor of education at Eastern Michigan University whose research focuses on the Women's Suffrage Movement. On June 4, she'll combine both those roles for an event at her store, "Sip. Shop. Suffrage." Held to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment, which was passed on June 4, 1919 and gave women the right to vote, the event, held in conjunction with Detroit's Peacock Room, will feature merchandise with a women empowerment and suffrage focus. There will also be a representative from the League of Women Voters offering tips on how to hold a registration drive. And a portion of the night's proceeds will go to COTS, the Coalition on Temporary Shelter. Guests are also asked to wear white in honor of the suffragettes. "With today’s political climate and the events limiting women’s rights in the last several weeks, we think this is an important time to come together, support other women, and learn how we can be more civically engaged," said Beaubien in a press release. The event runs from 6-8:30 p.m. Urbanum is at 6545 Woodward Ave.
Art Van opens new store with giveaways
Art Van is celebrating the grand opening of its new 48,000 square foot Rochester Hills store, its 19th in Metro Detroit, with a five-day party this weekend that will include giveaways, seminars, food and fun for the entire family. There are several big giveaways -- including a chance to win a trip for four to Disney World and a $3,000 room giveaway. On Saturday and Sunday, $500 gift card drawings will be held every two hours starting at 10 a.m. "Rochester Hills is one of Michigan’s most popular retail destinations, and Art Van is right in the middle of this thriving shopping district,” said Ron Boire, president and CEO of Art Van Furniture, in a press release. “Our beautiful new store and affordable furniture collections will wow local residents.” The new store is at 1032 S. Rochester Road.
Birmingham designer tapped for Kips Bay Show House
Who says a traditional library has to be masculine? Birmingham interior designer Corey Damen Jenkins doesn’t think so. Asked to design the library for the prestigious 2019 Kips Bay Decorator Show House in New York, which wrapped to the public on Thursday, Jenkins said he wanted to “expand the narrative on the formal library through the perspective of the female home owner.” He and his team at Corey Damen Jenkins & Associates used wall panels and moldings glossed in a pale blush color, a dramatic mural on the ceiling and a French 1940s crystal-encrusted chandelier. Jenkins, who also has an office in New York, was one of only 21 designers and the only one from Michigan tapped to decorate a room for the renowned Kips Bay Show House. Jenkins, in a Facebook post, said he couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this year’s Show House.
Construction to begin in June on new garden on Belle Isle
Construction of a new garden on Belle Isle designed by world renowned Dutch landscape designer Piet Oudolf will begin in mid-June as volunteers say they're just $350,000 shy of what they need to raise to both install and maintain the garden. After a bid process earlier this spring, organizers say they've hired Anglin Civil and United Lawnscape as their construction partner "to help transform the site this summer into Piet Oudolf’s vision," said Oudolf Garden Detroit in an email to supporters. Anglin Civil and United Lawnscape will oversee the heavy earthwork, hardscapes, drainage and soil preparation, bed formation, steel edging, and turf grass lawns for the garden. The garden will be installed in front of the Nancy Brown Peace Carillon Tower. Brown was a Detroit News columnist. Organizers, meanwhile, have launched a virtual Memorial Day plant sale to help raise additional funds for the garden's endowment. To learn more about sponsoring a plant for the Oudolf Garden Detroit, go to https://oudolfgardendetroit.org/.


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All traditional wet markets in Thu Duc City, 11 districts in HCMC suspended
Thai Binh Market in District 1, HCMC, is suspended. All traditional wet markets in Thu Duc City and 11 districts are facing the same fate - PHOTO: LDO
HCMC – All traditional wet markets in Thu Duc City and 11 districts in HCMC have been suspended over fears of the Covid-19 spread, according to the municipal Department of Industry and Trade.
The 11 districts are 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, Phu Nhuan, Tan Binh, Tan Phu and Nha Be.
On July 22, Hoc Mon Market in the district of the same name resumed operations with nine traders selling food and vegetables. Meanwhile, Nguyen Tri Phuong Market in District 10 and Trung Lap Ha Market in Cu Chi District have been temporarily closed, Tuoi Tre Online newspaper reported.
Thus, as of July 22, 32 traditional wet markets in the city are operational and 205 others, including three wholesale markets, have been suspended.
Some markets which have reopened after being closed to serve the fight against the pandemic include Binh Thoi, Phu Tho, Kien Thanh and Hung Long.
A working team of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has asked the HCMC government to reopen the Binh Dien, Thu Duc and Hoc Mon wholesale markets as soon as possible to stop supply chain disruptions.
The city has also asked districts to come up with plans to reopen markets safely before July 23.
However, many districts are finding it hard to reopen markets due to the rise in daily cases.
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Provinces and cities work to secure food supplies for year-end


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Exclusive: Obi Mobiles To Launch Firefox OS Powered Smartphones By November End
Former Apple CEO John Sculley's Inflexionpoint-backed Obi Mobiles is all set to sizzle the Indian handset market in June. Basically, the company is all geared up to announce at least 5-6 Android smartphones in the beginning of their maiden operation.
Headquartered in Gurgaon, and promoted by Inflexionpoint, Obi Mobiles will start selling Android-powered handsets in June at a price range of Rs. 4,500 - Rs. 15, 000, CEO Ajay Sharma told GizBot. The company is aiming for a 5% market share by the year ending March 31, 2015.
Ajay Sharma, who used to be the country head for HTC India before moving on to head Micromax's smartphone division, is optimistic about Obi Mobiles and its success in the Indian smartphone market.
Obi Mobiles - Android Smartphone Range
In an exclusive chat with GizBot, Ajay Sharma, CEO, Obi Mobiles, revealed that the company is currently looking to chase mid-range smartphone market. He further added that the company will launch 5-6 new smartphones running on Google's Android mobile OS.
Most of these phones will be priced under Rs. 10,000, except one which could cost around Rs. 15,000. Out of which, the cheapest priced phone will come with a 512MB RAM, 4GB of internal memory, 2MP rear-facing camera, and a VGA quality shooter. It should run on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. He remained tight lipped when asked about the specifications of the phone which might cost Rs. 15,000.
Obi Mobiles - Windows Phone Range
Obi Mobiles also wants to release handsets powered by Qualcomm chipset. Ajay Sharma, CEO, Obi Mobiles told GizBot, the new phones with Qualcomm chipset should arrive around September time frame and apart from Android-powered handset, Obi Mobiles will announce its first ever Windows Phone sometime in November- December 2014.
"In fact the firm is planning to launch at least 2- 3 handsets powered by Windows Phone OS."
Obi Mobiles - Firefox OS Line-up
At the same time, the handset manufacturer is also planning to launch phones powered by Firefox OS by November-December time frame, Ajay Sharma, CEO, Obi Mobiles, told GizBot. Unlike Intex or Spice, Obi Mobiles may not announce sub Rs. 2,000 priced Firefox OS running handsets.
Obi Mobiles - 6-inch Phablet?
Last but not the least, Obi Mobiles also disclosed that they will release the first ever 6-inch phablet around August-September. Although we're not told about the retail price, but the device should be in the mid-range segment.
Stay tuned to GizBot for more updates!


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January 30, 2024 – Bucharest, Romania
The highly anticipated CEE (Crypto Expo Europe) will take over the luxurious Radisson Blu Hotel in Bucharest, Romania, on March 3-4, 2024.
The two-day eventthe largest crypto and blockchain conference in Eastern Europe is expected to attract over 3,000 attendees including leading lights from the worlds of tech and crypto, as well as institutions, regulators, entrepreneurs and avid Web 3.0 enthusiasts.
Located just three kilometers from the country’s iconic Palace of Parliament, the Radisson Blu Hotel’s impressive 5,000 square meter expo space is the perfect destination for an event set to run from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. over both daysone that offers attendees an immersive experience in the world of blockchain and crypto.
Attendees, sponsors and speakers will commandeer 250 rooms of the host hotel, which is guaranteed to be a hub of lively activity.
Ruxandra Tataru, co-founder and CEO of Crypto Expo Europe, said,
“Crypto Expo Europe is a pivotal event aimed at educating and shaping the cryptocurrency market, particularly in Eastern Europe, which is experiencing a substantial surge in crypto adoption and development.
“This year’s edition reflects the growing interest and positive momentum in the region’s crypto marketand its burgeoning tech landscape, coupled with a high rate of crypto adoption, sets the stage for an event of paramount importance and substantial impact.”
Many of the industry’s biggest names are slated to appear at the eventamong them Binance, OKX, Gemini, KuCoin, CoinDesk and Crypto.com making it a must-attend conference for crypto’s movers and shakers.
CEE will cover a wide array of industry topics including the following, among others.
- How to choose your exchange
- Consumer protection (institutional perspective)
- Evolution of blockchain technology
- Tokenization of RWA (real-world assets)
Keynote speakers, meanwhile, include Kyrylo Khomiakov, CEE and CIS manager at Binance, Seker, senior vice president at Crypto.com, and Kristina Lucrezia Cornè, editor-in-chief at Cointelegraph, as well as Adrian Zdunczyk, founder of BIRD NEST, and Evan Luthra, Forbes 30U30 entrepreneur.
Ilie (Elijah) Puscas, country manager of Binance, said,
“Crypto Expo Europe 2023 was an amazing event right in the middle of Bucharest where we had the chance to interract with representatives from the industry, build new connections and interract with the local press….


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FYE parent opening 20 stores after years of downsizing
Trans World Entertainment Corp. will open about 20 stores this year, a major reversal after years of downsizing for the owner of the FYE music, video and electronics chain.
"We're excited about the opportunity to add stores to stabilize our base," Trans World Chairman and CEO Bob Higgins said during an earnings conference call with investors.
Trans World, based in Albany, NY, closed more than 600 stores from 2006 to 2012 and cut thousands of jobs as sales of CDs and DVDs sank because of the explosive growth in digital music and movies. The recession added to Trans World’s pain.
Aggressive cost cutting, the improving economy, and a shift in inventory toward selling more electronics accessories and trend items, such as novelty T-shirts and band posters, paid off over the past two fiscal years.
Trans World reported a profit of $10.9 million on sales of $458.5 million in fiscal 2012. The company operated an average of 378 stores during the year.
The results don’t include a one-time gain of $22.8 million from the sale of real estate in Miami.
The profit, excluding the one-time gain, was $8.7 million greater than the net income in fiscal 2011.
The company also paid a $15 million dividend to shareholders in fiscal 2012, its first in the company’s history.
Trans World (Nasdaq: TWMC) employs 3,500 people, including 500 at the headquarters in Albany.
DeMasi covers real estate, construction, retail and hospitality.
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Google has announced the latest price drop on its Compute Engine cloud infrastructure, keeping in line with its Moore’s Law theory of cloud pricing.
“As predicted by Moore’s Law, we can now lower prices again”, wrote Urs Hölzle, Google SVP technical infrastructure in a company blog post. “Effective immediately, we are cutting prices of Google Compute Engine by approximately 10% for all instance types in every region.
“These cuts are a result of increased efficiency in our data centres as well as failing hardware costs, allowing us to pass on lower prices to our customers,” he added.
The latest price drops are likely to set off similar attacks from the competition, namely Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure. Back in March Google set things off by slashing costs on Compute Engine, dropped by a third, and a two thirds drop for Cloud Storage, with Hölzle saying at the time you needed a PhD to work out the best option.
Amazon and Microsoft swiftly followed suit. At AWS Summits in San Francisco, SVP Andy Jassy noted that lowering prices was not new for Amazon, although admitting previous price drops came largely in the absence of competitive pressure.
Low prices don’t mean anything unless you’ve got customer support, mind you, and Google also took the time to focus on a couple of case studies. The Snapchat case study got wheeled out again – the search giant is fond of telling anyone who would listen about that – while two more interesting customers got mentions. Google Compute Engine powers Workiva, which processes financial reports for 60% of the Fortune 500 saving nearly $1m annually, and Coca Cola, running the Happiness Flag campaign for the World Cup.
Last month Google announced a scheme for $100,000 (£61,500) in Cloud Platform credits to eligible startups, again seemingly taking a shot across the bows of AWS and its Portfolio Package initiative.
You can find out more about the latest cuts here. How will this influence your usage?


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Valiando Rojas at The New York Times’s Global Leaders’flatmanagers
Luxury Brands Seek a Way Into Generation
[LIRE L’ARTICLE DANS LE NEW YORK TIMES]
Millennials, the much studied generation whose behavior has seduced and puzzled luxury brands in equal measure, are no longer the sole focus for companies hoping to attract new customers: Generation Z, the label given to those born since 1995, is the latest target audience, thanks to their future purchasing power and the influence they hold over canada goose clearance the spending of their parents and grandparents.
Unlike their older peers, who have watched technology gradually embed itself in their daily lives, members of Generation Z are known as “digital natives”: those who cannot remember what Canada Goose Parka it is like to not have canada goose outlet online uk a cellphone permanently attached to their hand.
“This is an impulsive group who will turn adverts off, call BS really easily uk canada goose and hate being talked down to,” said Meridith Valiando Rojas, co founder and chief executive canada goose outlet of DigiTour Media, a Los Angeles based buy canada goose jacket cheap group that has led the way in a booming events trend in canada goose outlet live entertainment. “They know canada goose factory outlet there is always something else out there as they have always had that information at their fingertips. That is hard for many brands to contend with.”
DigiTour Media hosts festivals where social media stars step out from behind their bedroom webcams and meet their teenage fan base. DigiTour Media group now puts on approximately 200 events a cheap canada goose canada goose outlet canada year, comprising both DigiFests (one or two day showcases) or DigiTours (groups of https://www.cheshuntteamministry.org.uk performers who rove the United States). The combined reach of the acts is 350 million people.
“It is all about bringing the internet to life their internet to life,” said Ms. Valiando Rojas at The New York Times’s Global Leaders’ Collective conference, held in Washington this past week. A former music executive, she recognized in 2010 that there was no equivalent of a canada goose black friday sale music festival on the market for younger teenagers. She also saw that when it came to hormone fueled popularity, 21st century social media stars had as much clout as the biggest boy bands.
“Generation Z are the most influential group of canada buy canada goose jacket goose outlet nyc consumers right now. Whether or not they are buying luxury today, they will be tomorrow,” canada goose outlet shop Ms. Valiando Rojas said. “So understanding where they think, where they go and how to advertise to them without rubbing them up the wrong way is crucial.”
That more and more people are looking for experience led luxury canada goose outlet uk sale purchases over products canada goose outlet parka is another factor in why brands should be looking to build relationships with this demographic, both on and off their phones.
There is a distinction between Generation Z and millennials in how they canada goose outlet uk behave within their social media communities. Millennials are keen to be unique, but members canada goose outlet black friday of Generation Z want to be popular and part of a group. Having grown up immersed in social media, members of Generation Z define canada goose outlet toronto factory their identity by how many “Likes” they get on Facebook or how many followers they have. They see their online personalities as extensions of themselves
“That is why these influencers canada goose coats on sale are so important: Teenagers today trust these voices,” Ms. Valiando Rojas said, adding that she booked acts based on their popularity and what the followers of her company’s social media accounts suggested. She pointed to Baby Ariel canada goose uk outlet (age 16), Jacob Sartorius (age 14) and the Dolan Twins (age 16) as some of the biggest names to watch.


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Turtle Swamp Brewing’s Soft Opening Scheduled For Saturday
Jamaica Plain’s newest brewery which we had first mentioned in January appears to finally be having a soft opening on this upcoming Saturday.
According to a social media update, the guys behind Turtle Swamp Brewing have said that their soft opening will be taking place on Saturday from noon to 6PM and that crowlers will be available so sale alongside some beer samples.
No word yet on which kinds of beers will be available to the public but expect the former Harpoon alumni to have a few tricks up their sleeves. Alongside the beer, they will also have some merchandise available in the form of t-shirts and hoodies.
Turtle Swamp Brewing is located at 3377 Washington St, Boston, MA 02130.


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Big Crowds Expected For Holiday Shopping ReturnsThe Christmas Day may be over, but the holiday shopping season is still in full force. In fact, for many stores, this is the second busiest shopping day of the year.
Savings Galore! Retailers Slashing Prices To Boost Post-Holiday SalesChristmas may be over, but the rush is not. The malls are packed once again, as thousands of people look for deals and others exchange or return the gifts they just didn't like.
Basic Errors That Can Delay Your Tax RefundMillions of people are getting a jump on filing their tax returns now that they have received their W-2s and 1099 forms. And for most, the incentive to get moving is to get that tax refund in their bank account as soon as possible.
Jeep Cherokee Returns For 2014Jeep has revived its lauded Cherokee nameplate after more than a decade.
Malls Are Packed On 3rd Busiest Shopping Day Of The YearIt’s one of the top five days of the year for mall traffic. And the number of people returning gifts is on the rise too.
Malls Face Post-Christmas Rush To Exchange, ReturnMalls were packed Sunday as shoppers returned unwanted presents or spent gift cards.
Md. Inmate Returns After Walking Off Work ReleaseMaryland State Police say an inmate who walked off work release has turned himself in.


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That's all you need to say now to check in to your United flight if you have one of Amazon's wildly popular Alexa devices. The airline announced earlier this week that it has incorporated additional capabilities into its Alexa app to make traveling even simpler.
Alexa can also field questions about amenities on customers' upcoming flights and other United-related questions.
In order to take advantage of the new service, customers must download the United app to their Alexa device and link it with their MileagePlus account.
Report a typo to the ABC13 staff


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The Esports explosion has provided a lot of opportunities for streamers and outlets to make big money, and those outlets seem increasingly willing to pay top dollar to invest in the future of streaming. Take, for example, the exclusivity deal announced last month between YouTube and Activision Blizzard. The former reportedly paid $160 million for the exclusive rights to broadcast Esports events related to Overwatch, Call of Duty, and Hearthstone for the next three years. According to Esports Observer, the majority of that sum was for the rights to Overwatch, the rest was for Call of Duty, and Hearthstone was basically an added bonus.
If the numbers are accurate, they aren't all that different from the previous exclusivity deal Twitch had. However, the deal with YouTube essentially offers more incentives based on the sale of advertising, and viewership rates. It will be interesting to see what kind of impact the deal has on Twitch in the long run. Combined with the loss of famous streamers such as Ninja, time will certainly tell how the platform continues to remain competitive.
As part of the deal, Google Cloud will now be the preferred cloud services provider for Activision Blizzard. According to the publisher, Cloud will allow for low latency and better interactions for gamers.
Gamers, guess what? You "will experience low latency when playing high-fidelity games, in addition to better personalized interactions, given Activision Blizzard can use Google Cloud's AI tools to suggest curated in-game offers and gaming experiences." ↓ https://t.co/3k6w7MXDlv— Google Cloud (@googlecloud) February 14, 2020
The Activision Blizzard deal certainly shows Google's growing interest in the video game industry. Moving forward, it will be interesting to see whether or not Stadia will continue to play into the company's plans. The system's launch was nothing short of disastrous, and momentum seems to have slowed significantly for the platform. Still, if any company can continue to invest, it's Google. Microsoft has already stated that they see the company as one of their bigger competitors in the industry, as opposed to Nintendo and Sony, and it's easy to see why. Google clearly has the money to spend; whether that translates to the type of returns the company is hoping for remains to be seen.
What do you think of the Activision Blizzard deal with YouTube? Are you a fan of Overwatch League? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!


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Chief executive Jonathan Hart is hatching plans for Thorntons revival
Truffle-sampling sounds like a chocoholic’s dream – but there is more to being the boss of Thorntons. In the City, chocolate is not so much a delicious treat as a prime defensive investment. As a simple, relatively cheap luxury, it should be immune to economic cycles.
That’s the theory. But as Thorntons chief executive Jonathan Hart, 53, could testify, the 103-year-old company has had a hard time profiting from our national penchant for pralines and ganache.
Hart was hired in 2011, the firm’s centenary year, to revive fortunes after a string of profit warnings.
Easter money: Thorntons chief executive Jonathan Hart
Feeble excuses trotted out included weather that was either too hot or too cold and ‘bad timing’ of annual holidays such as Christmas and Easter.
Thorntons was losing its lustre, battling against budget brands and luxury offerings from the likes of Hotel Chocolat.
As Easter approaches, Hart, whose words are liberally laced with management jargon, can boast of some success with his turnaround plan.
Selling chocolates, however, is not quite as straightforward as it might seem.
‘If I say box of chocolates,’ Hart starts. ‘You might say this is a box of chocolates, but actually there is a category referred to as a “box of chocolates” that includes things like Ferrero, Lindor, in what the market calls boxed, which is really confusing.’
He then starts to talk about ‘twistables’, presumably chocolates that you have to untwist from a cellophane wrapper. ‘I wish I hadn’t mentioned this now,’ he tails off.
Quite. Yet it is not long before Hart is sounding off about how he does not see his 280 stores as chocolate shops anymore, but as ‘gift destinations’.
‘If you go into our stores, we create for you, just as a florist would, a bespoke gift creation to express your sentiment,’ he says. ‘The way I would like to sum it up is whatever you have got to say, we have got a chocolate for that.’
What is not clear is the type of chocolate he would select to express the sentiment: ‘We have a trajectory demonstrating the strategy is working.’
What he means is that two years into his three-year recovery plan, Hart has closed some underperforming stores and invested in better-placed ones. Around 80 more stores will go, leaving a more manageable estate of 200.
In the past British chocolate firms have proved tempting targets for foreign predators. Cadbury was gobbled up by what was then Kraft, along with Terry’s of York beforehand, while Rowntree was taken over by Nestle in the late 1980s.
Hart says he has never considered Thorntons as a bid target, but suggests foreign ownership is no big deal in his mind.
‘It is not a pressing issue whether we remain British or not. I’m just focused on creating a strong British brand,’ he says, though many would struggle to grasp the difference. Presumably, he is trying to say Thorntons could still be seen as a British name even under foreign ownership, just as the Mini is despite being owned by Germany’s BMW.
He does however believe that ‘Thorntons has an emotional feel – it’s in people’s DNA’.
Despite the flowery language, Hart’s strategy is not rocket science. He has introduced more ‘theatre’ into stores, taken chocolates out of their boxes and offered free samples, all of which appear to be having an impact.
At the half year results last month pre-tax profit rose to £6.1m for the 28 weeks to January 11, up from £4.1m. Total first half sales grew 4.5 per cent to £139.7m while underlying sales were up 2.1 per cent from 2.2 per cent over the same period last year.
For the first time the wholesale business – supplying Thorntons branded chocolates to supermarkets – overtook store sales.
‘I think we are definitely turning the business around by any objective measure,’ Hart says.
‘We are still absolutely delivering financial performance. The opportunity is ahead for us. The key for us is not to be complacent – we are only just beginning to get ourselves through the challenge.’ He says that in the past the business did not move with the times.
‘It was poorly invested,’ Hart explains. ‘It had not been selling our products in the format people wanted to buy. Culturally, it had been trading on heritage and legacy. Essentially, there were too many stores in the wrong locations when the growth was in out-of-town, supermarkets and online.’
But revamping Thorntons stores is taking time – we meet in a London office because there are no local stores that have undergone a makeover for Hart to show off.
Affable and open, he surrounds himself with chocolate eggs and occasionally reaches for his props to illustrate a point.
One striking feature of Hart’s plan is that Thorntons must be the last retailer in the world still undecided on whether to take the plunge online. The conundrum, he says, is the firm is becoming more of a fast-moving consumer goods or ‘FMCG’ manufacturer, than a retailer.
‘The more we evolve the business as an FMCG brand…online is less of an imperative,’ he says. ‘You wouldn’t ask Heinz how important it is to have a transactional website. That’s why I am being vague – we need to see where we are on the continuum.’ Whatever that means.
Before Thorntons, Hart was managing director of Caffé Nero and boss of Dixons’ High Street brands.
With Easter almost upon us he admits the bulk of sales come from a handful of key dates.
‘The market is still hugely seasonal,’ he says, though then adds: ‘Shoppers are starting to come in on a more frequent basis.’
Hart appears to be suffering from a sugar high when asked about the future of the business. Only 3pc of sales are exports, but his aim is to turn Thorntons into an international brand. ‘It is a bit presumptuous to say a major global player, but that’s a goal,’ he declares.
It’s a laudable aim, but Hart will have to sell an awful lot of rum truffles before he achieves it.
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March 10, 2020 – A developer has unveiled new luxury apartments as part of an adaptive reuse project in Woodbridge, where it has retrofitted the upper levels of a well-known commercial building.
The owner and operator, TFE Properties, has spread 117 units across seven fl oors at 1 WoodbridgeCenter, a building that’s home to the Woodbridge Jewelry Exchange. Located adjacent to theWoodbridge Center mall, the project known as Luxe Apartments is now drawing renters with a mix of upscale one- and two-bedroom layouts and a host of modern amenities.
“The location is perfect for commuters, and the on-site perks like Peloton bikes are getting a lot of attention,” said Scott Tajfel, regional property manager of East Windsor-based TFE Properties. The property is located at the junction of routes 1 and 9, offering quick access to the New Jersey Turnpike, Garden State Parkway, and other highways.
Occupying floors seven through nine, the selection of apartments includes upgraded penthouse units on the top two floors. Amenities include a club room, work lounge, fitness center and yoga studio that also offers virtual on-demand workouts.
The building, which benefits from its proximity to the mall and the Route 1 retail corridor, also features office space in the second floor.
“The growth in Woodbridge has increased demand, bringing a new client with higher standards,” said Carey Tajfel, president of TFE Properties. “We’re proud to meet this demand with a product of superlative quality that’s a perfect fit for a growing segment of the community.”
Looking for more?


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Quick GM News Roundup
By Brendan Moore
Here’s what was announced yesterday:
The company said that there would not be another extension of the employee pricing program when it ends this month. GM originally announced the offer on August 19th, extended it until the end of September when it starting producing results, and there was some speculation that the company was considering extending it yet again. But Chevrolet General Manager Ed Peper put that speculation to rest when he stated the GM was happy with the results of the promotion and it would end on the last day of the month.
GM had an okay month in August compared to almost everyone else – results were way behind (20% under) last year’s August results, but that was a lot better than Ford and Chrysler were able to do. The Chevrolet Silverado was also able to grab the No 1 – selling vehicle crown away from the Toyota Camry in August.
Surprising almost no one, GM also announced that Cadillac would add a CTS Sport Wagon model next year. The five-passenger wagon is to be built on the same platform as the Cadillac CTS sport sedan but will provide 25 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats. It’s fuel efficiency is expected to be similar to the sport sedan’s 26 mpg on the highway, GM said. Since the stunning 2010 CTS Coupe will also make its appearance in 2009 calendar year, Fall should be a heady time at your Cadillac dealer’s, what with three CTS bodystyles available.
The company released a statement detailing plans to produce 70,000 more Chevrolet Cobalts in 2009 in order to meet demand. It is not believed that GM is actually making money on the Cobalt, but demand for small cars has really spiked upward since gasoline hit $4 a gallon in the U.S. earlier in the year, and it doesn’t seem to be abating. So, profitable or not, GM is producing what people are buying – small cars. But its got to be killing the executives at GM to make greater volumes of a car that they can’t charge a whole of money for.
Last month, buyers paid an average of $16,455 USD for every Cobalt that went across the curb at a Chevrolet dealership, but the Cobalt’s Japanese competitors commanded a much higher average sales price. Honda got an average $19,184 for a Civic, while Toyota customers paid an average of $18,232 per Corolla, according to Edmunds.com.
GM has already sold 145,941 Cobalts this year just through August, which is a 10% increase over last year’s total, and they could have sold more if only dealers had more Cobalt inventory. The Cobalt XFE, a version of the Cobalt that is particularly miserly with gasoline, is in very short supply.
Last, but not least, GM talked yesterday about the Cruze, which is the Cobalt’s replacement and will show up as 2010 model. GM believes it will be able to get a higher price for the Cruze than Honda and Toyota are getting for their sub-compacts, the Civic and the Corolla, respectively. The Cruze is larger outside, larger inside, has comparable or better interior features, and will get 40 mpg, which handily beats both cars in fuel economy. It is also a more attractive car. To bolster the belief that the Cruze will command a much higher price than the Cobalt it replaces, the aforementioned Peper pointed to the fact that the redesigned Chevrolet Malibu now sells for an average $4200 over the old Malibu’s average selling price.
“Value and price are offshoots of what consumers think about them, what they’re willing to pay for the products,” Peper commented. “It’s obviously in our best interest if people think more of our products, the more the value that we provide.”
GM can only hope that Cruze does as well as the new Malibu has; if it does, then they will sell a bunch of them, and realize profits in their small car segment as well. If the Cruze doesn’t emulate its Malibu big brother, GM might have a small disaster on its hands.
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by MARK RAO / pic by BERNAMA
LOTTE Chemical Titan Holding Bhd’s shares continue to hit new lows since its market debut two years ago, as the company registered a lacklustre second quarter (2Q) and a bearish outlook for prices of olefin and polyolefins.
The South Korean-controlled petrochemical producer’s share price closed at a record low of RM2.83 yesterday, 56.5% lower than its initial public offering (IPO) of RM6.50 two years ago.
This effectively erased some RM8.3 billion from the company’s market capitalisation since its debut on Bursa Malaysia Securities Bhd in July 2017, as disappointing corporate earnings amid a challenging business environment weighed on investor sentiment.
For the 2Q ended June 30 this year, Lotte Chemical — which predominately derives its income from the olefin and polyolefin businesses — posted a 66.7% year-on-year (YoY) decline in net profit to RM104.85 million on lower product selling prices resulting from the protracted US-China trade tensions which squeezed profit margins.
“The lower selling price is mainly due to diversion of polyolefin supply from the US into the South-East Asia region as a consequence of the US-China trade war, as well as softening of global economic growth,” the company told Bursa Malaysia yesterday.
It said the economic environment remains challenging due to unresolved trade tensions and the slowing of global economic activities, but said its key sales demographic — namely emerging and Asian markets — is expected to sustain growth this year.
Malaysia and Indonesia were the company’s largest markets, contributing 62% of group revenue of RM4.3 billion for the first half of 2019 (1H19).
The petrochemical company noted new additional capacities are forecast to create short-to medium-term supply and demand imbalances in the domestic market.
Lotte Chemical expects the additional supply to gradually be absorbed by high consumption growth in the Asian region.
Lotte Chemical’s 2Q profit was further impacted by higher distribution expenses, lower foreign-exchange gains and share of loss from associate companies. Higher expenses arose from the increases in sales volume, distribution cost and royalty expenses.
Turnover for the quarter dropped 6.2% to RM2.13 billion from the RM2.27 billion managed in the same period a year ago due to the fall in average product selling prices.
This was partially offset by the increase in sales volume driven by improvements in production quantity and plant utilisation.
The performance for the quarter brought Lotte Chemical’s net profit 71.3% lower YoY at RM160.68 million, while the RM4.3 billion revenue brought in over the same period represented a 4.2% YoY decline.
Its performance for the remainder of 2019 will be influenced by supply and demand dynamics in the petrochemical market and its production output, not to mention feedstock prices which are positively correlated to crude oil prices.
Lotte Chemical said the volatility in oil prices will have an impact on naphtha prices — the company’s main feedstock used for petrochemical production. Production cuts by the OPEC and Russia to offset higher US shale production, coupled with US sanctions on Venezuelan and Iranian oil exports, are expected to lend support to crude oil prices, Lotte Chemical noted in its exchange filing yesterday.
At the same time, the softer macroeconomic outlook and increasing US oil output and exports will offset potential increases in oil prices.
Lotte Chemical became the largest listing in Malaysia since 2012 when it raised some RM3.77 billion upon its July 2017 debut.
This was in spite of the company slashing its IPO price from RM8 to RM6.50 and reducing its offering size due to weak investor take-up.
The company, a relisting of Titan Chemicals Corp Bhd after it was taken private in 2011, also undertook stabilising actions from July 11 to July 24 upon listing in 2017.
This saw Maybank Investment Bank Bhd acting as the stabilising manager, purchasing 27.77 million shares or 4.8% of the total number of shares offered under the IPO during the period.
The shares were bought at an average price of between RM6.28 and RM6.47 apiece.


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Centra Tech is a Miami-based corporation that offers blockchain products such as a prepaid or debit card to spend the digital assets, smart wallets to store digital assets etc. The Centra blockchain wallet allows storing of several coins that include Ethereum, Zcash, Bitcoin, Ripple, Dash, Litecoin, Monero, and will be adding more soon. The aim of CTR is to create a uniform account solution that is accepted worldwide, even for those who do not have banking facilities.
CTR tokens are based on the Ethereum network. It is a decentralized ERC20 compliant digital currency. Users can pre-order the Centra card. The card will be available globally. The Centra blue card will be available to all those interested can order it via the Centra wallet app or they can get a virtual card issued.
Centra ICO started in September and ended in first of October. In addition to the Coin Bay and online exchange network services, Centra will also offer an Open-source super-fast DPoS blockchain services. The Centra gold card is the tier 2 card which will be given to the first 500 subscribers with 30+ ETH. The primary card is the Centra Black issued to the first 300 contributors with 100+ ETH. The three cards have different ATM withdrawal limits, spending limits and comes with customer support.
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Websites can be powerful marketing tools for advertising your products and services effectively online and today most businesses are using unique and
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Today, digital currencies are doing kind of things that investors and Wall Street have never seen be
After long, the world’s most popular cryptocurrency, Bitcoin seems to come back. The &lsquo


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Millions were about 750,000 tickets for Adele’s upcoming US tour.
Now turn thousands of disappointed fans back to the people who bought more tickets to earn big money.
“It’s a special place in hell for ticket sharks,” wrote a fan on Twitter.
Tickets for Adele’s upcoming US tour sold out in minutes when released last week. Now, reports the NME that the entire ten million fans fought for the total 750,000 available tickets.
The figures from the company Ticketmaster also shows that four million trying to get tickets exclusively for the shows at Madison Square Garden in New York, with 120,000 plates available.
The huge demand, the reservation systems to crash, and many disappointed fans vented their displeasure on social media afterwards.
Many who tried to get tickets testify so-called ticket sharks, people who buy more tickets and then resell for profit.
“It’s a special place in hell for ticket sharks,” writes a disappointed fan on Twitter.
READ MORE : Adele’s dream collaboration with the artist
The prices of a ticket if purchased through resale sites ports of up to SEK 20 000, writes the fans.
“I saw Adel tickets sold 77 000 pieces, “wrote one person on Twitter.
Adele’s US tour, her first in five years, starting in July and includes 56 concerts. On April 29, the British superstar to Tele2 Arena in Stockholm.
READ MORE : Adele will not release “25″ on Spotify
Recently, broke the British star record when her new album “25″ sold over a million copies in the US during the second week. It allows the disc to the first that sold more than one million copies per single week ago Metrology Nielsen began measuring weekly sales records in 1991, writes Billboard.
The first sales week struck Adele N Sync’s previous record from 2000 as the ” 25 “sold 2.4 million copies in just three days.
Earlier this autumn, also hit” Hello, “the first single from” 25 “, the US record with 1.11 downloaded digital copies in its first week .
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Zestock.com IT video tutorial platform open since May 2013 continues to increase its training catalog. After boosting the posting of tutorials on its platform via a competition won by Thibaut Mikos , Zestock.com reminds all Internet users that it is easy to make money by passing on your know-how. By offering tutorials on Zestock.com trainers earn a commission on each sale. The advantage of the platform is that the commission increases, not according to the number of sales, but according to the number of tutorials published, so you have all the cards in hand.
Currently and in less than a year, Zestock.com has doubled its number of Tutorials on the platform.


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Gucci sales start to climb under Alessandro Michele's direction
The Alessandro Michele effect
It has been a disappointing year for Gucci on the business front, having experienced four consecutive quarters of declines. But with the creative side of the brand enjoying a resounding boost under the new creative direction of Alessandro Michele, sales at the Italian brand have risen 4.6 percent in the three months to June 30. This exceeds expectations for a 3.2 percent decline, according to Exane BNP Paribas.
"We are particularly satisfied with the progress at Gucci and the positive reception given to the brand's new creative direction," said François-Henri Pinault, Kering's chairman and chief executive officer. But Pinault went on to say:
"While we are pleased with all the progress Gucci has made in such a short time and confident in its achievements, please do keep in mind that these initiatives will not show their full translation into our accounts until the back-end of this year and in 2016," implying that he anticipates further climbs to be evidenced by the sales figures for the Autumn/Winter 15 collection – Michele's first to hit stores, via an international new boutique window display across 30 key flagships worldwide.


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Longer shipping freight journeys are becoming commonplace as a consequence of the multiple effects of the war between Russia and Ukraine, a shipping industry expert has explained.
Speaking to Yahoo Finance Live, Genco Shipping and Trading chief executive officer John Wobensmith outlined a range of ways in which the sector has been impacted by the conflict and how sea freight companies have had to respond.
Starting with the most direct impacts of the war, he noted: “We do not have… ships in the Black Sea area right now because trade, for the most part, is very tamped down for obvious reasons,” adding that another issue is staffing, as Ukrainian sailors make up 15 per cent of crew members.
Another key consequence is the lengthening of freight journeys as countries switch from Russia and Ukraine to find other suppliers of important commodities such as wheat, grain and fossil fuels.
Mr Wobensmith stated: “So we’re seeing quite a bit more grain coming out of inventory out of the U.S. Gulf, going into Europe, going into China. Brazil is in peak grain season right now.”
All this is forcing up freight rates, an issue that may have widespread implications as freight operators pass on those costs, making commodities more expensive and pushing up inflation.
Finding replacements for items that would normally come from Russia or Ukraine has been a widespread problem. In some cases, this includes items that cannot readily be sourced elsewhere, such as sunflower seeds. Because the two warring countries produce 80 per cent of them and now would normally be the planting season in Ukraine, a major shortage is certain.
That has led to food manufacturers seeking replacements like rapeseed oil or changing the recipes of their products, which means not only will some freight firms be bringing in more alternative produce from elsewhere, but freight firms that normally include sunflower seeds among their cargos will be deprived of custom in this area in 2022 and perhaps some way into 2023.
Given the unknown duration of the war and sanctions against Russia, it remains to be seen how long such large-scale disruption lasts.


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Banking software company Temenos has formed a strategic relationship with ClearBank to provide banks with a faster route to market for real-time cloud payments.
Joint customers will benefit from a comprehensive, end-to-end service through the cloud-based clearing bank’s API-based services.
They will also have rapid access to real-time payments services, including Bacs Payment Schemes Limited (Bacs), CHAPS and Faster Payments.
The partnership also aims to support banks to comply with changing payments regulation and adapt their services to new local schemes.
Charles McManus, chief executive officer at ClearBank, said: “Temenos’ market-leading banking software serves a truly global customer base and we are excited to expand our combined offering outside of the UK payments market as our alliance strengthens over time.”
Des Noctor, UK regional director at Temenos, commented: “At this pivotal time, it is vital that banks have a fast and effortless route to market so they can quickly respond to customer appetite for real-time cloud payments.”
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CHICAGO, 2014-8-13 — /Travel PR News/ — Through the first six months of 2014, air cargo volume at O’Hare International Airport has grown by 8.5 percent compared to the same time period in 2013. In June 2014 alone, O’Hare’s cargo tonnage increased by 11 percent over the same month in 2013. With over 738,500 tons of cargo handled for the first half of 2014, O’Hare is on track to reach approximately 1.5 million tons for the year.
“Air cargo creates billions of dollars in economic activity and supports thousands of jobs in the Chicago region,” said Rosemarie S. Andolino, Commissioner, Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA). “This significant increase in cargo volume at our global gateway is a positive sign of recovery and growth following the global economic recession over the last few years that impacted cargo traffic at airports around the globe. With the added capacity created from the O’Hare Modernization Program and the development of new cargo facilities at the airport, Chicago O’Hare is well positioned to be one of the world’s leading hubs for air cargo.”
Nearly 30 freighter carriers currently serve O’Hare, including many of the largest cargo carriers from China, Europe and the Middle East. In fact, Chicago is the leading national gateway for air exports to China, representing more than 25 percent of the entire market. In addition, many of the passenger carriers that serve O’Hare carry cargo in the belly of their aircraft. With about $115 billion worth of freight handled annually, O’Hare ranks second among all U.S. airports for the monetary value of its air cargo.


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Huntingdonshire’s One Leisure to restart gym and fitness sessions on Saturday
- Credit: Archant
Huntingdonshire District Council’s leisure centres are set to start a phased reopening on Saturday (July 25) as the coronavirus lockdown lifts - but swimmers will have to wait until September if they want a dip.
The first phase of the reopening at the One Leisure centres after four months of closure will concentrate on gym and fitness classes.
Gym equipment has been spaced out to allow for social distancing and fitness session customers will find their classes are being held in sports halls where there is more space than their regular venues.
The One Leisure centres and run by Huntingdonshire District Council and council leader, Cllr Ryan Fuller, said: “We are delighted to be able to reopen our leisure centres. The safety of our customers and staff has always been, and continues to be, our priority.
“Centre cleaning has been enhanced and we have done everything we can to make the leisure centres safe for customers to return.”
One Leisure business and operations manager Paul France added: “Timed booking slots have been created for when the centres reopen, allowing staff to manage the number of people in the facilities at any time.
“All activities, including gym, must be booked in advance either online via the One Leisure website or via the One Leisure app.”
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The council has spaced out gym equipment to allow customers to workout while adhering to social distancing guidelines. Fitness classes will be held in the centre sports halls, creating more space for customers to exercise in.
The second phase will see the reopening of One Leisure swimming pools in September and the council explained that the delay was necessary to allow time to prepare for safe swimming and to work through updated government and industry guidelines on safe changing facilities and the delivery of the swimming lesson programme.
Cllr Keith Prentice, executive councillor for leisure, added, “We know how much customers have missed swimming and we thank them for their continued patience whilst we prepare the pools for reopening.”
However, the Pure heat experience suites, cafés, squash courts, soft play areas, bowling alleys and creche will remain closed until Government regulations allow and it is safe to reopen.
The council urged members of the public to visit the One Leisure website for full details and guidelines for the reopening of its One Leisure centres.


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Even before things started really going south for BlackBerry Ltd., it was clear that its purchase of QNX Software Systems in April 2010 was a transformative acquisition. The deal gave Research In Motion, as BlackBerry was known then, the basis for its next operating system and, vitally, provided a foot in the door of the emerging connected-car market.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
Owning BlackBerry Ltd. shares requires a strong stomach and over the last few months many investors have decided to say goodbye to the stock’s dips and peaks
BlackBerry’s dizzying decline over the next few years is well-documented territory, with the once-dominant company’s share of the global smartphone market collapsing to 0.5% by the third quarter of 2014. But, unlike so many other decisions that BlackBerry made in the interim, the acquisition of QNX remains a rare success. Founded by two University of Waterloo graduates in the early 1980s, the Ottawa-based QNX had already established a global presence in the auto sector, when it was acquired by Stamford, Conn.-based Harman International Industries in 2004. Harman vastly ramped up QNX’s presence in cars, making it an industry leader in telematics— the computer programming in a car that goes into everything from safety sensors to the GPS system — by the time the 270-employee company was sold to Research In Motion.


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Expected to be broken. According to incomplete statistics, as of now, there are more than a dozen provinces and cities nationwide introduction of charging fees for services. Analysts pointed out that the introduction of electric vehicle charging service fees standard will promote the construction of charging piles and other facilities to some extent, help to promote popularize electric vehicles.
Although popularize electric vehicles still a long way to go, the biggest problem currently impede the promotion of electric vehicle technology, including battery life, charging time, and maintenance issues. Moreover, according to the Shandong electric vehicle manufacturers research, the primary influence consumer purchase power issue is the mileage of electric cars, from the market, the current electric vehicles in terms of comfort, safety and the still difficult compared to traditional fuel vehicles, consumer in the selection still prefer more traditional fuel vehicles. However, as China's second batch of new energy vehicles to promote the launch of the city's application, more and more people can enjoy the private purchase of new energy vehicles subsidies, which contributed to the promotion of electric vehicles in large part.


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Aurora Fashions is to restructure its business with the separation of its core brands which will eventually see the group cease to exist, it has been announced today.
In a move which seeks to increase omnichannel opportunities, formalwear fashion retailer Coast will operate as a standalone business, opening more flagships amid continued international expansion as well as launching an innovative new website.
Meanwhile, Oasis and Warehouse will merge to become a single parent company known as Fresh Channel.
Oasis Managing Director Liz Evans has been appointed CEO of the new business and the senior management team will work on the move over the coming 12 to 18 months to support brands until the process is complete and Aurora will cease to operate.
“Retailing is no longer about gearing your operating model around bricks and mortar, something we have realised as a result of our omnichannel success,” said Aurora Chairman Derek Lovelock.
“Instead, our businesses must adapt and utilise a number of distribution channels to ensure we continue to capitalise on the changing global retail environment.”
Aurora pointed out that combining the two youth fashion brands will create a de-layered management structure aimed at allowing the team to exploit economies of scale while further developing their unique identities.
“Oasis and Warehouse are two iconic, high street British fashion brands that have gained international recognition for their innovative approach to omnichannel retailing,” Evans said.
“I am privileged to be working with two exceptional management teams.
“Together, I know we will drive strong performance and continue to surprise and delight our customers around the globe.”